Just then, a tall noble student abruptly stood up, interrupting Chen Xuan's lecture.
He lifted his chin, his tone full of provocation.
"Teacher Chen Xuan, your theories sound convincing, but do you have any practical evidence to support them?"
"We Soul Masters cultivate through strength, not your vague, empty talk!"
"No matter how dazzling your words are, what good are they if they can't make us stronger?"
As soon as he said this, the atmosphere in the room turned tense.
Many of the older students glared angrily at him, while the newcomers watched with expressions that said they were looking forward to a show.
Chen Xuan's expression didn't change. He didn't even look at the man.
Before he could speak, a clear, melodious voice rang out from among the students.
"Who says the teacher's theories are useless?"
Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a beautiful young woman with a gentle bearing slowly rise to her feet.
It was Ye Lingling.
The noble student who had started the trouble recognized her and sneered. "Ye Lingling, you're the heir to the Nine Heart Begonia clan. Don't tell me this guy's brainwashed you."
Ye Lingling ignored his mockery. She simply looked calmly at everyone and spoke, each word distinct.
"Before I listened to the teacher's lecture, my Martial Soul was the Nine Heart Begonia."
"And now..."
She held out her fair right hand, and light blossomed in her palm.
A begonia flower, its entire form as if carved from pink crystal, quietly appeared.
Each of its nine petals shimmered with iridescent light, while a brilliant golden glow gathered at its heart. A vast, surging aura of life swept across the entire classroom.
"...My Martial Soul is the Nine-Heart Immortal Begonia!"
The moment the words fell, the entire room was stunned.
Dugu Yan's eyes widened, and she straightened up without even realizing it.
The Nine Heart Begonia!
Of course she knew it!
It was a top-tier support-type Martial Soul, famed alongside the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda!
But in her memory, Ye Lingling's Martial Soul, though powerful, had never possessed such a sacred, boundless aura as this one!
Its vitality was so pure that even she, a Soul Master who had lived with deadly poison for years, felt a comfort and yearning that reached deep into her soul.
Her Martial Soul... had really evolved?
Could he have been telling the truth?
For the first time, Dugu Yan's heart wavered.
Yet the few noble students causing trouble still refused to back down.
The ringleader forced down his shock and stubbornly retorted, "Who knows if you used some rare treasure to trigger a Martial Soul Mutation? We didn't see it happen!"
"That's right! If you've got the ability, give one of us some pointers right here and now!"
"Let us see it with our own eyes. It'll open our horizons!"
The few of them chimed in together, once again turning their attacks toward Chen Xuan on the raised platform.
This time, Chen Xuan finally moved.
His deep eyes slowly lifted, his gaze passing over the crowd before settling precisely on Dugu Yan in the corner.
"You. Come here."
Chen Xuan's voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the room heard it clearly.
Dugu Yan froze and pointed at herself.
Chen Xuan gave a slight nod and added, "Dugu Yan, granddaughter of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo."
Boom!
Dugu Yan felt her mind go blank, and she froze in place.
H-he knows who I am?
An indescribable feeling welled up inside her: surprise, confusion, and even a faint, flattered thrill at being singled out.
She still doubted his theories, but for some reason, beneath his calm gaze, her heart began to race uncontrollably.
She bit her lip, then strode up to the platform with her head held high as all the students watched curiously.
"What do you want with me?"
She asked with forced composure, her tone still carrying a hint of pride.
Chen Xuan didn't answer her.
He simply raised his right hand and pointed at Dugu Yan from afar.
Humm—
Blue-gold light, exactly like the light that had healed Dugu Bo, shot from his fingertip and enveloped Dugu Yan completely.
Dugu Yan's heart jolted, and she instinctively tried to summon her Soul Power to resist.
But the instant the light touched her, an immense aura of life, warm beyond words, wrapped around her completely.
All her defenses crumbled at once.
This power...
It felt so good!
She could even feel every cell in her body rejoicing as it basked in the nourishment of that life force.
Then, something even more astonishing happened.
The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison coiled deep in her bloodline, tormenting her since birth and keeping her awake night after night, began to melt away at astonishing speed beneath the blue-gold light, like snow under the sun!
Strands of dark green poisonous vapor were forced out through her pores, then vanished into nothingness the instant they touched the blue-gold light.
Dugu Yan's eyes widened. Her body was frozen in place, unable to move.
Grandfather... Grandfather had exhausted every means and poured countless years of effort into solving the poison in their bloodline...
Yet in this man's hands, it had been dealt with so easily... just like that?
A casual point of his finger, and a chronic affliction was gone!
What kind of heaven-defying power was this?
At that moment, she finally understood why her grandfather had treated this man with such awe.
A fraud?
All style and no substance?
How laughable and ignorant her earlier thoughts had been!
Dugu Yan's heart churned. When she looked at Chen Xuan again, her gaze had completely changed.
Awe, gratitude, admiration... all sorts of emotions mingled together.
The more she looked at the man before her, the more pleasing he seemed. His handsome face now shone brighter in her eyes than the sun in the sky.
But the few noble students below couldn't see the mystery behind what had happened.
Seeing Chen Xuan simply point his finger and make it glow, without anything else happening for so long, they assumed he was putting on an act.
"Tch, after all that, he just made a light show?"
"I thought he had some amazing skill. Is he just stalling for time?"
"I think he's run out of tricks!"
Their voices carried clearly to Dugu Yan's ears.
The blue-gold light slowly faded.
Dugu Yan felt her entire body grow lighter, more comfortable than ever before.
She spun around. Her emerald eyes blazed with fury as she glared at the noble students.
"Shut your mouths!"
Her sharp, cold rebuke rang through the room.
"You ignorant fools, blind as frogs in a well! You have no idea how magnificent the teacher's power is!"
"You think you have the right to question him?!"
Dugu Yan's scolding poured over the noble students like a basin of cold water.
They looked at one another, their faces full of bewilderment.
What was going on?
Hadn't this woman been standing there just like them, sneering at Chen Xuan's theories?
How had her attitude done a complete about-face in such a short time?
The tall noble student leading the group relied on his family's considerable influence in Heaven Dou City and plucked up the courage to challenge her.
"Dugu Yan, don't forget that you were standing there with a look of disdain on your face just now!"
"What, he made a light shine on you, and now you're bought?"
"I think you're the one who's been fooled the worst!"
Before you continue